Home
by Agnidivya
Summary: The gates to Paradise had opened, the long winter had melted away and every creature was returning home. It was time he returned home as well. But first, he needed to find his pack...
1. Born anew

**This was something I had written around seven years ago for a school assignment. I found it gathering dust in a corner of my cupboard when I finally managed to clean the mementos of my school days.**

**It was a challenge given by our English teacher – to write a fanfiction of sorts. Rewrite a story you did not like or continue a story that felt needed to be continued. And while my classmates chose movies with romances, I chose Wolf's Rain, because it was one of the few stories that actually influenced my life, and I'm an animal lover. I did not like how this anime just ended like that even though it was a masterpiece right from the start. **

**Anyway, I'm still in the process of editing it seeing as I wasn't really that good at writing seven years ago. I'll try to publish the chapters as fast as I can, seeing as I have two other fics to continue. **

**By the way, this fic has a more direct approach, mainly because back then I was still a kid and was just starting to learn the meaning of subtlety.**

* * *

**Born anew**

* * *

'_Can I ask you something?'_

_The old shaman chuckled and laid a wrinkled hand on top of his head. 'Go on little one.'_

'_I've been among your tribe for a long time now, yet my name does not belong to your tongue. My pack died before they could even name me. Where did I get such a strange name from?'_

_The wise old man smiled kindly at him, the way he would when the children of his tribe asked him questions that were 'silly' according to the other adults._

'_Your name is not strange, little one', the man answered in his raspy voice filled with knowledge of several eras past, 'Your name comes from a language that was spoken in the Far East, where the lands are the first ones the sun touches. It is the name bestowed upon you by your mother-guardian.'_

'_My…mother…guardian?'_

'_Yes', the man replied and his grey eyes misted over in nostalgia, 'She was the one who found you after the fire and raised you until you were old enough to be the wolf you were always meant to be.'_

'_Why did she leave then?'_

'_Because it was time for you to be a wolf, little one', the man answered with a hint of regret in his voice, 'She would never leave your side willingly, but she understood that you had a journey to make.'_

'_Will I see her again?'_

'_I cannot say, little one. It is all up to you. After your great journey I am sure you will find your way home, where she will be waiting for you.'_

_He bowed his head in thought. Home – that word always brought back memories. Memories of brown hair the color of the darkest and richest soil, eyes the color of the thickest forest plumage, skin as soft as fine sand, a scent as fresh as the mountain streams, a smile as bright as the sun and a voice as gentle as the wind, singing to him a long forgotten lullaby. That was his mother-guardian._

'_She prays for you every day. I hear her voice on the wind', the old man continued, 'If you are ever in doubt, listen to the wind. And if you ever need answers, whisper your questions to the wind. She loves you, her precious child, and she will watch over you until you find your way home.'_

Amber eyes opened to greet a new day as the sun rose over the horizon, over a new world. Snow white paws pressed against the soft moist earth as he made his way from within the hollow among the roots of the ancient tree. The soft glow of the morning sun on his white fur gave him an ethereal glow.

He looked around at the world before him. The once desolate lands were now full of life. The gates to Paradise had opened, Cheza's seeds had spread out from the top of the mountain where the lunar flowers had once grown, where he had been born, and had started purifying the poison world. The long winter had melted away, rivers flowed with clear water and frantic fish, trees awoke from their deep slumber and sprouted fresh leaves, grass and bushes pushed their way out of the barren earth and everyone, every creature, was returning home.

His form morphed and changed slowly, lazily. Four paws slid away and two feet replaced them. In his place now stood a young man with shaggy hair the color of the richest soil and eyes the color of the forest plumage. His lips curled into a blissful smile.

It was time he returned home as well.

But first he needed to find his pack… his friends… his family…

* * *

The old woman was screaming at him, her horrible voice was piercing the air with a pitch that should never be reached by a human. People were starting to stare at the commotion and while most were walking away as if they never saw anything, there were some that were either whispering among themselves or smirking at his pitiful plight.

'…dressed like a tramp and wandering about as if you own the place…'

Oh, how he wanted to morph into his lupine form, his true form! Maybe then he could flatten his ears to cushion the impact of the sound or bolt away as fast as he could or maul her to death or simply kill her with a heart-attack brought on by the shock of seeing him change forms.

But he could not, because humans still feared wolves and they had a habit of killing the things they feared. So, he had to settle for scowling as his sensitive ears were abused.

'…and walking around in all that leather that barely covers you…'

The old prune was still screeching at him. About what, he did not know. He could not make out a single word from the stream of words spewing out from between the rotten teeth in her mouth. After a while it had just become a cacophony of horrid noises that almost made him whimper. Almost.

'…rebellious they say. What you need is a solid thwack on the rump, I say!'

Weren't grannies supposed to be nice old ladies who petted you on the head and cooed you and pinched your cheeks and fed you sweets until you looked like bloated sheep? That was how Toboe described his 'granny' anyway.

Wait…

Wait a minute…!

Wait just a doggone minute here!

Who the hell is Toboe?!

'Are you listening to me young man?'

Oh, she was still speaking?

'Yeah, yeah, whatever you say old hag…'

And he returned to his musings.

'WHAT?'

So, who was Toboe again?

'You have some nerve!'

Red fur… brown eyes…

'Children these days have no respect for their elders!'

Soft smile… childlike eagerness… sunny disposition…

'Listen to me when I'm speaking to you!'

Instinct immediately took over his body. Although his mind was slow in comprehending it, he saw the withered old prune raise her beige handbag and knew where it was going to land – on top of his head. Without his volition his hand reached for his dagger though his mind screamed that it was a bad idea and that attacking the witch would bring unwanted attention to him. But it was too late to stop his already moving limbs.

However, before either party could inflict damage upon the other, there was a blur of movement. An arm wrapped around his back in a half hug, a slender hand pinning his right arm firmly to his side, preventing him from using his dagger, while a body pressed close to his left side. He immediately tensed, but did not make any other move, his instinct suddenly stilled. The old crone's wrist was caught by another hand – a softer, younger one – effectively stopping the bag an inch from his head.

'Ah cousin! There you are!' a deceptively sweet voice sounded beside him, 'I was wondering where you went!' He could hear the underlining growl in the voice, though it wasn't directed at him.

'He's your cousin?' the woman asked in disbelief.

'Yes. Poor dear, came dressed for a costume party and got lost on the way. He has a poor sense of direction, you see.'

'Oh.' The old woman made no move to apologize and instead glared at him one last time. After a few more seconds of staring the old woman finally hobbled away and the people around him returned to minding their own business.

'Phew, close one!'

He snorted and turned to look at his 'savior' once she pushed away from him. What he saw was a woman of slender build standing at five feet seven inches, with wavy chestnut hair tied in a high ponytail allowing two thick locks framing her pale oval face and brilliant violet eyes. She was dressed in a peach pink turtle-neck long sleeved shirt, khaki short skirt that reached mid-thigh, black leggings and tan hiking boots. But that was just the human shell. Underneath it all she was a wolf with sandy brown fur, black tipped ears and tail, and white paws and underbelly.

'You might want to change your disguise', she said, her eyes twinkling with mirth, 'That 'bad boy' image may work on young males, but it will only attract the nasty older ones.'

He scoffed and turned to walk away.

'Unless you want to get caught by **her** again I suggest you come with me.'

He stopped in his tracks and turned to the she-wolf, debating on his choices. A few moments of silence passed and finally he huffed. 'Fine.'

The she-wolf smiled and turned to walk down a street, and he followed.

'I'm Chloe by the way', she told him when he stepped up to walk beside her.

'Tsume', he offered back.

* * *

'There you go big guy. That should do for now. I'm still advised against feeding you solid food.'

He whined at the bandages covering his side, but then closed his eyes as skilled fingers passed through the fur between his ears. Once the fingers drew back, he opened his eyes to look at the boy that had been taking care of him ever since he was found washed up on the rocky bank of a stream, wounded and bleeding.

'You know, three months ago I never would have believed that wolves existed', the boy said thoughtfully and sat down beside him on the bed he was lying on. 'We were told wolves became extinct around two hundred years ago. And then they show up and wreck havoc among the noble clans. Not long after everything becomes right with the world and the crops start growing again, and we no longer are under the noble's rule.' The boy looked at him as he bit into his stake. 'I don't know if the legend of the wolves is true. I don't know if I should believe that it was the wolves that saved us, or some other weird twisted event. Just know that either way I don't care.' The boy ran his fingers through his thick fur again. 'It is not our place to decide who you are.'

Even though it would cause them both heartache when he was going to leave he wished he could attach himself to this boy. This young boy had not thrown him out when he found out he had brought home a wolf and had even taken care of him. Yet, there was something out there calling to him and he knew he could not stay here.

'Hige', he finally spoke, raising his head slightly. At the bewildered look on the boy's face he chuckled sheepishly, 'I guess you didn't expect me to speak…'

The boy's blue eyes softened immediately and he smiled. 'No. Every sentient being can speak. I'm just surprised you can speak a human language.'

* * *

She needed to cross the ocean. She knew that much. That was what she needed to do to follow that feeling that was leading her over to another continent.

The problem was the 'how'.

She had been loitering about the quay, searching for a way to get on one of the larger ships. She had no money to get on as a human. Of course, she could not just jump onto one. If she were discovered halfway to the other side she would be thrown into the sea without second thought. And if she were in her human form the sailors may demand carnal favors from her. She needed to find a safer way to get on.

She looked around again and her bright blue eyes landed on a cage, more specifically one of those pet cages humans used to keep their pets in when they were making long journeys. Her mind began to process this bit of information and a plan began to form in her head.

That was the advantage of being a halfbreed - she had the intelligence of a wolf coupled by the knowledge of a dog.

Switching to her human form she carried the cage to a spot where there were similar animal cages. She placed it on the wagon that carried the cages and the luggage and arranged the bolt in such a way that it would slide shut with just the right amount of force. She then switched back to her canine form and crept into the cage. Once in, she settled herself comfortably and used her paw to pull the door closed. As expected the bolt slid into place with ease. And since it was not locked all she would need to do was push the bolt up a little and rattle the door to open it.

Finally at peace she lay down and waited to be loaded onto the fastest cargo ship. She had specifically chosen this ship for that reason alone. It would take only two days to cross the ocean. She may not have had a master to feed her but she could last two days. After all, she was half wolf.

* * *

Her slow walk through the swamp was interrupted when she caught the scent of something in the wind. It was faint, but she recognized it in an instant.

Another wolf.

However, this scent was mixed thoroughly with the dull salty fragrance of mountain water. A strange combination seeing as she was currently walking through a smelly swamp.

She did not know why, could not explain why, but without a second thought she followed the faint trail, suddenly wanting to find its source.

Mud squelched underneath her paws, mosquitoes buzzed irritably in her ears, the foul scent of rotting wood and decaying carcasses filled her nose, but she pushed her revulsion aside and soldiered on. She did not know if the wolf would acknowledge her or simply attack her on first sight, but she felt she needed to find it. But that won't stop her from being cautious.

She trotted across the muddy ground, over fallen logs, along the slippery banks of the murky streams where she knew crocodiles lay in wait for their next meal. Monkeys chattered above her, while birds sang higher up in the branches. Some looked at her curiously, others fled the moment they saw her, but she paid them no heed.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, which could not have been more than several minutes, she crossed the tree line and stepped out onto the wet sandy shore of the river that had formed an embankment before creeping into the swamp in small streams. Her crystal claret eyes scanned her surroundings.

The water flowed gently here, which explained why it suddenly became muddy and grew into swamps. The mud always settled where the waters flowed gentlest.

Anyway, she saw a few crocodiles basking in the midday sun with their jaws wide open, some were crawling about lazily, a few brave egrets were skimming the shores for their meal and… what was that?

It was a lump of something wet and furry and russet red.

Curious, she crept slowly up to the lump, mindful of the crocodiles that were eyeing her. The scent she had been following grew stronger the closer she stepped. Her sleek form was soon hovering over the lump that was actually the body of another wolf. She placed her ear near its maw and heard its troubled breaths. She also saw how its body shivered. She cautiously placed her paw over its body and rolled it over so it would uncurl. She noted three things then.

It was unconscious.

It was male.

And it was a pup.

Well, not really a pup. It was just out of puppyhood.

What on earth was this little guy doing in a river full of crocodiles? Must have been the adventurous one of the litter, she concluded, and he must have almost drowned because of it.

Frowning at him, she placed her paw on his side, over his lung and pressed down slowly but firmly before releasing. She repeated it several times till after the seventh time the pup suddenly hacked up a cough and bolted into an upright position.

He swiveled his head around with fearful wide brown eyes. When his eyes finally landed on her, his ears pressed down against his head and his tail tucked itself between his legs.

She stared at him dumbly for a moment until it registered in her head that this pup had almost died, so of course he would be terrified of seeing a strange wolf in his presence. Keeping that in mind, she lowered her ears and tail slightly and stepped toward him. The pup whimpered a little but made no other move. She stepped toward him slowly and sniffed his muzzle before nuzzling his head a little. The pup remained in his position though he stopped whimpering and shivering.

She felt relief flood her when he calmed down, but that was soon replaced by wariness when she heard the splash of the crocodiles slithering back into the water. Further interaction would have to wait, she decided. She gently caught the pup by his scruff. She heard him yelp in surprise and felt him pull up his legs and tail, curling instinctively into a ball, but paid it no heed. Without a second to waste she sprinted back into the swamp, to the relative safety of the trees.

* * *

**Well, there's a chapter! A prelude to all the adventures to come for our dear wolves.**

**Please review!**


	2. The lost pup

**This was one of those chapters that needed to be rewritten because it lacked a lot of details. I hope I've done a good enough job with it.**

**And please forgive my attempts at humor. I am one of those people who believe that life just is not complete with the right mix of adventure, drama, comedy and angst. The one thing I found fault with the series was its lack of light-heartedness.**

**Read and enjoy!**

* * *

**The lost pup**

* * *

He did not know what to do. He really did not. That was why he remained in his curled position as the she-wolf carried him through the swamp, jumping over fallen logs and raised tree roots, wheeling around tricky bends and curves, sliding gracefully on the slippery mud and running as fast as the wind itself. Despite the fear that had taken a firm hold of him, he could not help but admire the strength and grace of this she-wolf that carried him. He was no longer a pup, was almost an adult. Yet, this wolf carried him as if he were an offspring that had just been weaned.

Questions flooded his mind as the world around him blurred into a mess of colors.

Where was she taking him? Was she going to kill him? And more hopefully, was she taking him with her to her pack?

He yelped as she leapt over a sleeping crocodile, at least he thought that was what it was called. He had not really seen such a creature before, just saw it in pictures humans had. Hmmm… how did he know about the pictures humans had?

He yelped again and closed his eyes as the she-wolf increased speed. Her wild sprint took them across the muddy ground, under hanging branches with hanging snakes, over a fallen tree, across more muddy ground, under more hanging branches, across a stream of murky water, over more fallen trees, across more muddy ground until she arrived at the roots of an ancient tree. She jumped up a thick moss-covered root, trotted up a few steps before jumping over to another thicker root and crawling up it to reach the flattened base of the wide trunk. She put him down in a cradle-like hollow that had formed where two thick roots shot off from the trunk and sat on her haunches beside him.

'There, that should keep us from the reach of the crocodiles', she stated proudly.

He liked her voice, he decided, liked how it wrapped around the words and flowed as freely as the ocean currents – rich and deep and strong.

'So pup, care to tell me why you are here in crocodile territory?'

He stared at her blankly as his mind processed what she said. When it did he stuttered and spluttered hopelessly, unable to form a proper answer.

The she-wolf sighed. 'Calm down and stop stuttering', she said gently but firmly, 'Take a deep breath.'

He took her words to heart and sucked in a great big breath that made him rear his head back and puff out his chest. Of course, he regretted it the moment he did.

The foulest scents ever known to any creature filled his nose. The stench of rotting wood, decaying carcasses, animal faeces, fresh sludge and a plethora of many more puke-inducing aromas assaulted his poor nose. He let out the breath in him in a series of loud coughs and wheezes as he scrambled about blindly.

It took him a few minutes to calm down, his breathing to return to normal and him to be able to push aside the scents.

'Well, that certainly woke you up.'

Panting, he shot a half-hearted glare at the she-wolf whose red-purple eyes were glinting in amusement. 'This place stinks!' he complained.

'It's a swamp', she replied dryly.

'What am I doing here?'

The she-wolf looked at him oddly. 'I should be asking you that pup.'

He paused and thought back to how he got here. He remembered the cold beneath him, the sound of rushing water, the scent of sweet flowers and the blue skies. But beyond that… nothing.

'I don't remember…'

He tried to remember anything beyond that, tried to think of something, anything. He pushed his mind to the days past.

'I don't remember…'

He could not remember. Other than a few sights, sounds and scents he could not remember.

'I don't remember…'

His eyes moved all around him but did not really see anything, only tried to catch fleeting glimpses of phantom images dancing in and out of his vision.

'I don't remember…'

His ears twitched violently, trying to find the echoes of the sounds he knew should be there.

'I don't remember…'

His lungs kept drawing in great big gulps of air as he tried to find a scent that was familiar, any scent that was familiar.

'I don't remember…'

Suddenly, he found himself on his back and staring up at the she-wolf with fur of the darkest black with a white patch on her chest, and eyes of the clearest claret. 'Calm down, pup', she commanded. And when he stilled she added with a much gentler voice, 'It's alright if you don't remember. It'll come back to you slowly.'

Her voice soothed him. He liked that voice. Without thinking he snuggled up to her. He felt her stiffen, but it was only for a moment as she relaxed and drew him in willingly. He sighed and curled up when he felt her larger frame wrap around his smaller body. And with her warmth around him he fell asleep and dreamt of wide fields over which he sprinted with four more wolves by his side.

* * *

The she-wolf sighed when she felt the pup's breathing even out. The poor guy was probably traumatized by his ordeal. That was probably why he could not remember anything. She decided to let him rest for a while, he needed it. He would be stronger when he woke up.

They needed to be out of the swamp soon though. A swamp was no place for a wolf. It was alright when it had been only her. She knew how to deal with all the snakes and insects that came her way. She also knew how to dodge the crocodiles. But the pup was a different story.

While his lean body may look adapted for speed she doubted he was coordinated enough to actually use it, especially in a swamp where even she had trouble.

She tried to think of the fastest way out of the swamp. It had taken her two days to cross it, but it would take longer with the pup to go back the way she came. Not to mention that she would not be able to protect him all the time. Besides, she would probably need to help the pup find his pack.

A normal wolf would not go to this extent for an unfamiliar wolf. She, however, had been rescued from hell by a human. **Her **compassion must have rubbed off on the wolf.

Thoughts of that human caused a pang of guilt in her heart, but she pushed it aside firmly. Humans and wolves could never get along. At least that was the excuse she kept giving…

No choice then. She would have to return to the embankment and circle around the swamp. It would probably take a lot longer, but that was alright. She was a wandering wolf; she had the time to spare. And it was probably where the pup's pack would be.

* * *

He held onto the fur. It was warm and soft and smelt of the deep forest. It was strange though, he had never really been in a forest before. He lived in a little house with Granny, who took good care of him…

The fur shifted and he whined. He snuggled himself deeper into the fur. It was warm and soft and smelt of the home he should be going to.

'Wake up, pup.'

He ignored the voice, though it was a nice voice, and snuggled deeper into the fur. 'Comfy', he moaned.

'Up. Pup.'

His eyes shot open and he jumped to his paws, his body automatically reacting to the command. 'Who? What? Where?' he spun around in haste, not once registering the world around him.

He heard a chuckle beside him and slowly awareness crept back into his being. He turned to his side and saw the she-wolf that brought him here sitting beside him.

'Sleep well pup?'

He lowered his ears in embarrassment. 'Uh… yeah.'

He saw her get up and arch her back, then stretch her front limbs and then her hind limbs.

'So pup, do you remember what happened to you?'

He thought about it for a moment. 'No', he said sheepishly, 'All I remember is living with my Granny – a human. But that was a long time ago, and I know Granny died and I left. I remember being with other wolves, but I don't remember how they looked or sounded or smelt.'

'So, you were with other wolves huh?' she asked absently, 'Well then, maybe you'll remember when you see your pack.'

He thought of it for another moment. 'I don't think I was in a pack', he said thoughtfully. When he saw her looking at him questioningly he explained, 'I think we were simply a group of wolves living together. But I think we got separated… and… I don't even remember their names…'

She looked at him incredulously for a moment before shaking her head. 'Well, either way we need to get out of this swamp.' That said she leapt off the tree and landed lightly on the ground below.

He followed and landed a little gracelessly beside her. 'Your name', he asked tentatively, 'What is it?'

'Mai. What's yours pup?'

'Toboe.'

* * *

Toboe would be lucky, she concluded, if he got out of this swamp without being mauled to death by her.

He was a whiner and it was grating her nerves. The list of his complaints were as follows.

'Why is it so hot here?'

'It stinks!'

'There are so many mosquitoes!'

'How long till we get there?'

'Oh spirits, I see eyes in the water!'

'Are you sure it's safe to cross? I can't even see the bottom!'

'Hey, what do we do if the crocodiles come?'

'Aaaah! I see a snake!'

'It still stinks!'

'Urgh, my paws are covered in this… stuff…'

'Gah! That branch hit me!'

'Stupid roots… tripping me when I'm walking…'

Now she knew why he was named Toboe. The pup had the lung power of an elephant.

'Mai…'

Damn it all! Her ears were hurting.

'Mai!'

Perhaps if she ignored him he would get tired of talking to nothing but air…

'Mai!'

Darn, no such luck!

_Focus on something else Mai_, she commanded herself.

Hmm… walking seemed like a better topic. Left front paw and right hind paw, right front paw and left hind paw, and repeat.

'Mai!'

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right…

'MAAAAIIIII!'

The black wolf stopped in her tracks, spun around and 'WHAT?!' she howled at the top of her lungs.

The pup yelped at the sudden howl and fell back into the sludge while the birds and the monkeys fled in fright. A second later the swamp had turned as silent as death. The silence was only broken by Toboe's nervous chuckle. 'Um… we've been walking for a while now. I'm tired. Please, let's take a break!'

Mai looked at the pup thoughtfully.

'I suppose…'

She saw him lean in hopefully.

'…not.'

She took great pleasure in watching the runt fall on his face. He sat back up immediately and looked at her with dazzling brown eyes – the bane of any adult's existence in any species, the dreaded puppy-dog eyes. But Mai held her ground. She was several times more stubborn than a mule.

'If you have the energy to whine, then you certainly have the energy to walk.'

'But we've been walking for ages and the exit is still far away.'

'No, the exit is only a few ten paces away and we have only been walking for less than a human hour. It took me a tenth of that time to sprint to the tree **while carrying you**.'

'Then you must be tired. Let's just take a break.'

'No, I'm not tired. So hurry up, because the last one out is a stinky puppy!'

With that she turned around and sprinted away while holding down a snicker.

'But I'm already a stinky puppy!'

This time she did snicker.

'Mai!'

She increased speed when she heard the soft thuds of paws hitting the swamp floor behind her.

'MAAAIIII!'

* * *

'Oh come on pup, don't sulk! I told you it wasn't that far.'

This only caused Toboe to glare harder at her.

'We're out of the swamp now', she stated.

'And among the crocodiles', he retorted.

'Most of them are asleep anyway', she replied nonchalantly.

The pup blinked and looked around him. There were many crocodiles, but all of them were lying on the sandy banks in heaps with mouths wide open, giving a clear view of their powerful jaw muscles and small but sharp teeth. A chill ran down his spine.

'They sleep with their mouths open?' he asked incredulously.

'You do too', Mai chuckled at him.

'I do not!'

'Yes, you do. I should know, I watched you sleep for an entire day. At least the crocodiles don't drool.'

Toboe huffed in annoyance and turned away from the she-wolf. Curiosity suddenly overcame the pup and with blind courage he trotted to take a closer look at one of the larger reptiles that had been resting a little away from its brethren.

He observed its long muscular body held up by equally muscular stump-like legs. It was like a lizard, he observed, its underside resting close to the earth. It had a long powerful tail that he knew could shatter all the bones in his body with a single strike. Its dull green scales gleamed like jade in the sunlight.

He crept a little closer to the beast until he was a few feet away from it.

The way its body was designed he could imagine it surprising him with a sudden burst of speed. The teeth were too small to bite or chew, so it would probably just drag him under, tear him apart with its body and then swallow his remains.

He crouched low until he felt his underbelly brush against the wet sand, and crept closer until he was a mere two feet from the crocodile.

He could almost see its slender body wadding through the water, curling from side to side like a desert snake, its powerful tail propelling it forward while its legs held close to its body stuck out only when it wanted to change direction. He could see it burst out of the surface and catch its prey that dared to drink the water in its territory…

All of a sudden, the crocodile's eye popped open. Toboe caught a glimpse of an elongated pupil placed in a murky brown eye before the giant reptile let out a ferocious hiss and snapped its jaws at him. Caught off-guard and spooked out of his mind, the young wolf yelped and backtracked on instinct, slipping and sliding on the wet sand as he scrambled to put as much distance between him and the beast as he could.

Once he was a fair distance away the crocodile seemed to huff and return to sun-bathing with its mouth wide open. Panting and gasping, Toboe struggled to regain his composure. 'Scary…' he muttered.

'I bet', Mai mumbled dryly.

* * *

'So, where are we going?' Toboe asked his older companion as they climbed up the rocky hill

'Wherever the wind takes us', she returned casually.

'What?' he exclaimed incredulously then turned thoughtful, 'Come to think of it, I think I knew a wolf who spoke like that…'

'You don't have a purpose, right?' Mai asked him, 'That is only because you cannot think of one. Listen to your instincts. They are more than feelings you know. They are memories and knowledge passed down to us in our blood.'

Once they reached the top of the hill Toboe gasped at the sight presented to him. Stretching before him for miles on end was a sea of green, the thickest forest he had ever seen.

'We are wolves', Mai said from beside him, 'and our instinct is our legacy.'

* * *

**And there is the beginning of Toboe's adventure in the new world. **

**Toboe means 'howling'. That's the reason why Mai thinks the name suits him perfectly.**

**Please review!**


	3. Arctic wolf

**This chapter… I honestly have nothing to say here…**

**Actually… I do.**

**Was it just me or did anyone else think Kiba was a little too obsessed with lunar flowers?**

* * *

**Arctic wolf**

* * *

The streets echoed with the sound of shouts and gunshots. It made the people pause in their tracks and look in the direction of the source. As the sounds grew larger in number all of them hurried into the nearest shelter, not wanting to get caught up in whatever commotion it was.  
All except one…

The young woman dressed in black from head to toe frowned into the distance. Normally, she would be driven to keep a low profile, stay away from trouble and walk around unseen. It was a necessity for her. Every time there was a commotion like this she would go in the opposite direction.

However, on this day something was different. Something was telling her to go toward the gunshots, toward the fight and put her life on the line. Instinct, intuition or some twisted sixth sense, she did not know.

She turned to look at the direction she would have taken to flee and debated. Instinct was not the only thing she normally relied on. She was human and she had her intellect as well. But his once, her instincts called louder.

She let out a frustrated sigh and took off in a light jog toward the sounds of gunfire. It did not take her long to reach the site. She found herself standing on a side-street that was the scene of a bloodbath. There was just no other way to describe it. Bodies of dead soldiers littered the street and the tarred road was drenched in rivers of blood. A closer look at the corpses revealed that most had died a quick death with lethal blows and a few had bled to death. What was unique, though, was what had caused those lethal blows.

Some soldiers had their throats torn out. Others had their skulls or necks or spines crushed. Large bite marks and claw marks adorned their bodies. A few of the unfortunate souls had died from friendly fire.

'Killed by a rabid wild animal', she said softly, letting a hint of amusement into her voice, 'Oh, how the mighty have fallen!'

The sound of heavy artillery fire snapped her out of her morbidly humorous musings. 'Really though, what animal could possibly waste this much ammo?' Shrugging, she made her way toward the source in a brisk walk. It was as she drew closer to the battlefield that she got her answer.

She saw the bloody tracks left on the street. Most of them were the boot-prints of men, but one particular set stood out. She'd recognize those paw-prints anywhere.

'A wolf…' she breathed out in a whisper, 'I'll be damned!'

Without wasting another second she sprinted toward the sounds of the fight. She rounded a corner and out of pure reflex alone she ducked under a stray bullet that whizzed over her head. She hit the ground, rolled forward and hid behind a parked car. Her hand gripped the sheath of the blade she had strapped to the back of her belt so it would peek out at her right hip. She craned her neck over the side of the car to see what was happening.

She saw seven men break rank as something ploughed into them. Some jumped away, others scrambled away, but one was unfortunate enough to have his neck crushed by powerful jaws. And before any of the men could react the creature had let go of the rapidly cooling corpse and pounced on another man, biting through his jugular.

One soldier regained his bearing enough to aim his rifle at the beast and fire a shot, but the wolf ducked away and bit into the man's leg. As he screamed out in agony the wolf pulled him down to the ground and with inhuman speed it turned to tear the man's jaws off his skull.

However, the wolf's luck soon ran out. The soldier closest to his fallen comrade quickly rammed the butt of his rifle into the side of the wolf's skull. The wounded and exhausted wolf let out a yelp of pain and surprise before falling on its side, unconscious before it even hit the ground.

The woman saw the soldier cock his firearm and aim it at the wolf's head.

'And that is my cue to interfere', she said wryly to herself as she jumped out from behind the car. She pulled her right hand out, relishing in the metallic hiss of her sword being unsheathed.

In three long strides she was behind the group of four soldiers crowding around to kill a (currently) defenseless animal. A single precise swipe of her blade cut through the spine of one soldier. He did not know what hit him and was dead before he hit the ground.

The soldier next to him turned in surprise only to have the blade slice through his wind pipe. As he crumbled to the ground, gurgling and choking on his own blood, he caught a glimpse of the woman stabbing another of his comrades through the heart.

The last soldier, the one that had aimed his rifle at the fallen wolf actually put up a fight. After all, the woman mused, he did have the presence of mind to knock out the wolf.

He fired a shot at her, but she brought up her sword, having seen exactly where it was aimed, and felt the bullet ricochet off the flat of the blade. Before he could fire another shot she pulled her sword down and slashed upward through the middle of the rifle, cutting it cleanly in half. As the man stepped back in shock she swung into a solid stance. Blade poised over her shoulder, she stabbed forward and right between his eyes.

She pulled her sword out and let the man's corpse fall to the ground. She did not sheath it though, as she made her way over to the downed wolf. The slow rise and fall of its chest proved that it was alive, but she kept her blade ready, just in case it was merely feigning unconsciousness. There were few things more dangerous than a cornered animal.

She stopped about three feet away from the body and waited a good five minutes for it to make a move. But it did not, content to lie on its side and bleed in blissful unawareness. She stepped closer and nudged it lightly with her booted foot. It still did not stir. Sighing softly she slid her sword back into its sheath and observed the beast in the relative calm of the aftermath.

Under the blood – both its own and that of the soldiers' – and the dirt coating its pelt, she could clearly see its thick white fur.

'An arctic wolf?'

Shaking her head she pushed one arm under its chest, another under its hindquarters (discovering it was a male in the process) hefted it up into her arms and carried it away from the battlefield it would have died on. And all the while her mind kept playing on the image of another wolf she knew, one she owed her life to.

* * *

When he opened his eyes next, it startled him. It felt like he had only closed them a second ago, but he instinctively knew that a long time had passed.

It sent him into a panic. He did not know where he was. He remembered passing through the city before being spotted. He remembered wondering why humans still held so much hatred toward wolves. He then remembered being hunted, fighting back and being wounded. He also remembered being hit on the head.

What had happened when he had been knocked out?

The soldiers had not killed him, which was obvious.

Did that mean they had imprisoned him? Had they thrown him into some filthy cell?

He wanted to get up despite the pain his body was in. He wanted to get up and find a way out. He didn't though. Something told him not to. The same thing that was telling him that someone else was here.

He could smell it, the scent of nectar and moist earth, like a field of flowers.

He stayed still, just as his instincts told him to, and looked around him. He saw that he was in a dark room. It had four walls and four corners, no windows but an open door facing him. Beyond the opening he could see a balcony with an iron railing and beyond that was the star-studded night sky. The room itself was dark, only lit by the light from outside. A cold breeze drifted in making him shiver slightly. The room was bare, with no furniture. It was also dusty, but from the smell of it, not dirty.

He then realized that he was lying on his right side on a blanket placed in the middle of the room. He felt the pain in his left shoulder, right hind leg and back, but he also felt the stiffness of the bandages covering his wound.

He wondered who had done this to him and scanned the room again. That was when the glint of steel caught his eye.

In a dark corner, to the left of the door, away from the light, sat a human woman. He could see the vague outline of the curves that defined the females of her species. She sat with her right knee drawn to her chest, her left leg curled before her. Her right hand hung limply from atop her knee, her left hand rested on the floor supporting her body as she leant back on the wall. Her sword was stabbed into the wooden floor boards before her.

His amber eyes were drawn to the blade, mainly because it was not like any of the other weapons he had seen before. Most of the swords he had seen were broad, straight and heavy. This one was thin, light and slightly curved with only a shingle sharp edge that glinted menacingly in the darkness. It had no guard, just a simple black handle to hold it by. It made this weapon that much more dangerous because he knew it was specifically created to match the wielder's agility.

The implication of all this was not lost on him.

The woman had saved him, yes. But she kept her distance, choosing to observe from the shadows how he would react. And if he made himself a danger to her, she would kill him without hesitation. That sword was displayed as a placation and a warning. By keeping it in his sight she was telling him that she would not harm him. By keeping it in her reach she was telling him that she could use it.

This simple gesture gave him a lot of information. This woman was a fighter. An ordinary human would have simply strapped him to a table, put him in a cage or left him to die. Instead, he felt her eyes on him as he lay in the middle of the empty room. This woman also knew wolves were sentient beings. The gesture was aimed at that. She would not harm a wolf, but whether it was out of genuine compassion or because she wanted something, he could not tell.

Several silent moments passed as he lay there. And not once did the woman's eyes leave him, in spite of the movements that showed he was awake. He finally tired of being watched and shifted so he was now on his stomach and facing the corner where the woman sat with his head held high.

Silence.

The woman made no move to speak. That meant he would have to open the conversation. But no matter how hard he wracked his brain he could not think of a word to say.

'You saved me.'

_Way to state the obvious! _He heard Hige's voice in his head.

'Yes.'

_Short and to the point. She's your perfect match!_ Again with Hige's voice.

'Why?'

'I have my reasons.'

_And here I thought __**you**__ were a great conversationalist_, Hige piped up in his head.

Damn, he must have lost a lot of blood to be developing a Hige conscience!

More silence.

'What now?' he asked her.

She merely raised her shoulder in a shrug.

He squinted at her in confusion. 'Don't humans speak more?'

'We do.'

That was when he heard the smirk in her voice. It made him pause for a second before it finally clicked.

'You're enjoying this, aren't you?' he growled accusingly.

In return he only received a brief chuckle. 'It's been far too long.'

'Too long since what?'

She shrugged again. He couldn't help but feel aggravated by this woman's vague responses.

_Now you know how we felt! _Hige's voice stated sagely

_Not now Hige!_ He growled back.

He watched her get up, pull her sword out and sheath it. He lay in his spot as she stepped into the dim light. She was a young woman, he noted, having just entered her twenties. She had a lean athletic build and carried herself with a casual confidence. She was dressed completely in black that allowed her to blend into the shadows with ease. In fact, the only noticeable color on her being was her red hair that cascaded down to her shoulders like a waterfall of blood. And when she met his gaze he saw her hazel eyes burning with a dangerous fire behind which lay a familiar softness.

'You can leave when you wish', she told him, 'Just stick to the rooftops and keep your human form. Don't take the streets. The soldiers will be looking for an arctic wolf.'

_Arctic wolf?_

'Wait!' he called out without meaning to the moment he saw her stepped toward the door.

He saw her pause and turn back to him questioningly. He did not know why he wanted her to stop. He did not know why he felt that she could give him the answers she needed. She was human. What could she possibly know of wolves?

'What is an arctic wolf?' he asked.

He saw her look at him in disbelief and had to fight the urge to lower his ears in embarrassment. His pride was surely taking a beating right now.

The woman looked at him a second longer before sighing and leaning back against the wall. 'Arctic wolves are the race of wolves that live between the tundra and the temperate forests', she replied clinically, 'They're best adapted to the colder lands and are often characterized by their white coats.'

'A separate race?' he asked in awe. He never knew that.

'All species have separate races, even humans', she replied casually, 'We are characterized by certain traits and are best adapted to live in certain regions.'

'Oh…'

'Anything else?' she asked back.

He hesitated for a moment. He wondered if he should be asking her this question. It had been haunting him for a while now. 'Kiba… what does it mean?'

'Is that your name?' she asked back.

He hesitated again but nodded.

'It means Fang. It is from a language spoken by a human race in the Far East', she said. She looked thoughtful for a moment before she shrugged. 'My name is Sachi', she offered, 'It comes from the same language.' She then stood back up and walked out. Once outside she turned around and bid him farewell. 'It was nice meeting you Kiba.' She then walked away, leaving the wolf to his thoughts.

* * *

It was a struggle to keep his balance, especially with his injuries. If only he were in his wolf form…

He brought his hand up to his face and examined it in the dim light offered by the street lamps. It still amazed him that he could do this – take the form of a human.

The forms he had taken before had merely been illusions, a way to fool human minds. One look at his shadow or the prints he left behind would have revealed what he really was.

But now… looking at his shadow he saw the profile of a **human**. It was no longer an illusion, but an actual change in his form. He did not know how or why it happened. He had simply wanted to create the illusion but then found his form changing.

It was painful the first few times and hearing his own bones creek and snap made him sick. After several tries though he got used to it, but the feeling of walking on only two of his limbs felt uncomfortable.

The human form was harder to balance and control. Despite retaining his lupine stamina and senses, he got tired rather easily. Humans wasted a lot of energy, he realized.

Of course, this form had its advantages as well. For one, he could use human hands to hold or grab things he otherwise could not. That was how he was able to haul himself onto the roof and race (more like limp) across the rooftops.

He looked out at the city from the roof he was standing on. That woman had brought him to the outskirts of the city. He could see the tall buildings towering over the horizon that was the middle of the city. The outskirts had smaller closely knit houses with small streets. That was what allowed him his rooftop journey.

He resumed his slow but steady pace and jumped across an alley to another roof before making his way to the end. He reached the high wall of the adjacent building and jumped to grab hold of the top. He then hoisted himself up, mindful of his injured shoulder and climbed onto the next roof. It was too slow for his tastes but in his injured state and with his lack of coordination in this form, this was the best he could do.

Far East… that was where his name had originated from. And he had a feeling he had to go there.

But this time he was not going alone.

* * *

Sachi watched from the water tower she was perched on as Kiba's form disappeared in the darkness. She smiled mournfully after him. That furball had no idea how hard it had been for her to not simply blurt out the truth – the entire truth – especially after he had told her his name.

He was still young and naïve. He needed to learn a lot more before he was ready for what they had to tell him. And if him speaking in his sleep were any indication, he had those precious to him that he needed to find.

The thought of him having been raised with mystic mumbo-jumbo whispered into his ear every moment of his life made her scowl. She loved the old Apachean coot, she really did. She saw him as a crazy old granduncle even. But there were times when she wanted nothing more than to smash his feather decorated head into a rock.

Sighing, she pulled out a silver mobile phone from her pocket and dialed a familiar number. Once the rings ended and she heard the soft greeting she spoke.

'I found him', her words were sharp, crisp and precise.

She heard the hitch of breath and several moments of silence followed. When the voice on the other side spoke again it was soft, morose and on the verge of cracking.

'K-Kiba?' the feminine voice asked hopefully.

'Yes.'

Another moment of silence passed and Sachi was sure the woman was wiping away her tears.

'H-How is he…?'

'He was being hunted when I found him', she said bluntly, because the woman deserved the truth, 'He took out an entire platoon of soldiers and was injured. I managed to patch him up. He's fine now. He did not recognize me, but he was a lot more civil and considerate, and absolutely clueless. I'm glad he's learning.'

'Is he…?'

'No', Sachi cut her off, 'He has others to find first.'

'I see and I'm glad he found others', the voice was calmer now, though there was a worried edge to it, 'Why are the soldiers still after him?'

'I don't know, but I'll investigate it.'

'What about…?'

'I'll find her', Sachi cut the voice off again, 'I'll find her, even if I have to search the ends of the earth. I don't have any leads yet, but I'll find her.'

There was silence again, but this time it was out of understanding.

'Alright, be careful Sachi', the woman on the other end finally said.

'I will', she replied and hung up. Taking in a deep breath to calm herself Sachi looked up to admire the moonless night sky.

* * *

**And there is Kiba's part in the Prologue arc. Now, I have three more characters to write about and then it'll be the start of the journey.**

**Please review!**


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